Imagine a swiftly flowing river. The water is clear, sweet and cool. Dipping down into it, you feel cleansed and renewed. Tasting it is like drinking crystalline nectar.
Now imagine a different river. In this one, pockets of broken branches, leaves and moss break the flow of the water, impeding its progress. Unable to rid itself of debris, the river grows murky, dull and unhealthy.
Our spiritual vessels long to be clear and open, like that gushing, clear stream. But what clogs us up? Let’s say someone startled you with an unkind remark. Stunned, you might feel pain or fear, or resentment. Later on, making dinner, is that hurtful comment still swirling around in your mind? Are you imagining a great comeback line? “If only I had said this in response.” Thinking of that person, do you feel a stab of anger? This is the stuff that chokes our system.
And while there may be a sort of righteous negative rush thinking of how we were wronged, that perspective is costly, for our peace of mind and our health. Of course, we can’t be impervious to the countless emotions and reactions generated in one day of life on earth. We’re going to be tossed around. That’s the nature of this place.
Meditation is like a burst of clear water pouring down through our system, sloughing off accumulated emotional debris like an evening shower removing the grime from the day. Slights and grievances are neutralized, and equanimity is restored. Over time, stuff just doesn’t get caught in us the way it used to.
Likewise, the river is healthy, not because it is never sullied with debris, but rather because the constant flow of water acts as a cleansing agent, flushing twigs and mud forward with the current. Our temperature may continue to rise at injustice, falsehood, or hurt, but we don’t have to stew in that sludge.
Meditation bathes our vessels in heavenly waters, helping us release grudges, and heartening us to practice forgiveness.
Dive into the sparkling stream! Try out this 6-minute meditation to cleanse and refresh your system with a cascade of Heavenly Waters.
“Heavenly Waters Meditation”
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